Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum cultivar xe2x80x98Klefeuerxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Klefeuerxe2x80x99.
The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with uniform plant habit, upright peduncles, and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1997 of the Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum cultivar xe2x80x98Klesathaxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/250,007, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum identified as ZN 104, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar xe2x80x98Klefeuerxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany, in June, 1998.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Stuttgart, Germany since 1998 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Klefeuerxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Klefeuerxe2x80x99 as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:
1. Upright and uniform plant habit.
2. Freely branching and flowering habit.
3. Early flowering habit.
4. Brilliant red-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held above the foliage on upright and strong peduncles.
Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, the cultivar xe2x80x98Klesathaxe2x80x99, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the Zonal Geranium are more compact and not as vigorous as plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Klesathaxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have more rounded umbels than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Klesathaxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have brilliant red-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Klesathaxe2x80x99 have orange red-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the selection ZN 104, in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium do not have a distinct zonation pattern whereas leaves of plants of the selection ZN 104 have a distinct zonation pattern.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have brilliant red-colored flowers whereas plants of the selection ZN 104 have deep red-colored flowers.
The new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Manepixe2x80x99, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Manepixe2x80x99 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were not as compact as plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Manepixe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had more rounded umbels than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Manepixe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had brilliant red-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Manepixe2x80x99 had orange red-colored flowers.